Graduate Student Housing Resource Guide
Graduate student stipends
Stipends are intended to pay for basic living expenses for a single student (no dependents) to meet their basic needs (housing, utilities, food). It is unlikely that students will be able to support others or save while earning a stipend.
Students may find it instructive to review the living wage calculator for our location while making housing decisions: https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/44009.
On-Campus Housing (Kingston)
Off-campus Living
Most graduate students live off-campus. You will want to know what you are looking for in a rental and what your budget can accommodate. Typically, housing rentals require a deposit. Plan with both your budget and your time. The Commuter Affairs Office is not involved in students signing leases with landlords who post properties with our service. This process is arranged between the student and the landlord. As with any financial decision, please verify all information before sending money. Some students have experienced scams in rental listings.>
Rhode Island has a unique housing market. Many options near beaches are available for 9-month academic calendar rental. In the summer months, the rent for these properties dramatically increases to serve as vacation rentals. Annual leases are more common in regions north of campus, further away from the ocean. Students must often expand their housing search regionally as near-campus rentals are limited. Some students live as far north as Providence. In expanding your housing search, knowing the region’s transportation resources will be important in making a decision that is workable. Students are eligible for a 50% discount on a RIPTA pass.
Near Campus Options
Below are options near the Kingston campus to consider. These may be listed on https://offcampus.housing.uri.edu/ but may be worth monitoring if near-campus housing is desired.
Off-campus housing listings is a housing database, separate from the Office of Housing and Residential Life (HRL) and Fraternity Managers Association (FMA), where landlords advertise their properties to students, staff, and faculty at the university. Listings are continuously updated.
URI does not verify the accuracy of the listings on the site above and is not responsible for issues related to or arising out of these listings. Further, the university does not investigate or endorse the accuracy of any listings, the quality of the facility, or the individuals, companies, or firms associated with these listings. If you use these services, you do so at your own risk.
Summer Housing in the Traditional Residence Halls
Graduate students who meet the eligibility requirements can live in the residence halls (Kingston campus) over the summer. More information can be found at https://web.uri.edu/housing/apply/summer-housing/. Please note that a meal plan is not required during the summer months. Kitchen facilities are available in the on-campus housing used during the summer.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that we gather as the University of Rhode Island on the traditional land of the Niantic and Narragansett people in past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. This calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well.
